With the possible early release of thousands of state inmates looming, some fear that Cal Fire’s numbers could be decimated as prisoners are released from state custody.
“I think it’s something that people aren’t even contemplating, quite frankly,” said Republican Assemblyman Ted Gaines of Roseville. “I’m just very angry and frustrated that we’re not focusing on this.”
More than half of the state’s full-time firefighting force is comprised of low-level-offense inmates, who work for $1 an hour while serving their sentence.
If a plan to release 27,000 inmates from prison is approved by state lawmakers, it is possible many of the people currently used to fight fires will be released into home confinement.
“The fires would be bigger. They wouldn’t be contained as quickly. There may be a potential loss of life,” said Gaines. He plans to protest on the State Assembly floor before a vote is taken on the proposal to release inmates. That vote could come as soon as Monday.
The reduction in prison population would help save California up to $1.2 billion, which would be necessary to balance the state budget.